The present invention relates to an actuating tool, and particularly to an actuating tool for use with a zero insertion force (ZIF) socket which features compact structure and easy to use.
Taiwan patent application No. 84204249 discloses a prior art mechanism for opening or closing a ZIF socket. The ZIF socket connector comprises, a base and a cover movably assembled to the base, and a lever for driving the cover. A CPU is mounted on the cover with its pins extending through holes thereof and into the base. When the lever is moved, the cover is driven to slide along the base, thereby connecting or disconnecting the pins of the CPU to/from contacts in the base, subjecting the pins and contacts to very little force. However, the design is complicated and the space required is fairly large which does not accord with the trend toward small, simple connectors in computers.
A second prior art ZIF connector is shown in FIG. 1. The electrical connector comprises a base 10 which forms a notch 14 at two opposite comers and a cover 12 movably assembled to the base 10. In operation, a screw driver 18 is placed into the notch 14 and pushed against the cover 12, thereby push the cover 12 to slide over the base 10 between an open position and a closed position, causing a CPU 16 mounted thereon to be connected or disconnected to/from contacts in the base 10. This arrangement is simple but can be hazardous to the connector or to the CPU if the operator is not careful, so a new design is desired.